Dodgy parking trend plaguing businesses across Australia
Most Aussies have likely encountered this particularly dodgy parking act at some point - and it’s a trend that only seems to be getting worse.
There is a growing issue plaguing businesses across the country, and it’s leaving countless Aussies completely fed up.
In Australia, all parking providers are legally required to provide disability parking permit spaces, with businesses required to ensure equal access to goods and services under disability discrimination laws.
Only drivers or passengers with a disability parking permit can use these accessible parking bays.
A person who is driving a permit holder around may use these bays, but only if the person is with them.
Despite this, it is not uncommon to see cars with no disability parking permits taking up the spaces that are so heavily relied upon by many people living with disabilities.
One of these people is Paul, a part-time IT professional from Melbourne who lives with a rare neurological condition called POEMS syndrome.
Nerve damage, swelling, skin changes, fatigue and bone and joint pain are just some of the symptoms associated with this condition, meaning Paul relies heavily on accessible parking when out and about.
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“I’ve got balance issues and problems with the nerves in my feet. I’m an 80-year-old person in a 60-year-old’s body nowadays,” he told news.com.au.
“Things like disabled parking spots – you wouldn’t believe how much of a godsend they are. They’re just that little bit that takes the edge off it.”
Given how much these spaces help people living with disabilities, Paul understandably gets frustrated when he sees people illegally parked - and he is fed up with the inaction around this issue.
He recently had an experience at a Bunnings store in the Melbourne suburb of Eltham that left him fuming.
Upon arriving at the store, he found every disabled bay occupied, including one by a man who admitted he didn’t have a permit but said he “couldn’t lift (his lawnmower) into the back of his ute” as his reasoning for needing to use the spot.
When Paul asked a Bunnings staff member for help, he said the employee told him, “That’s between you and him. Not my issue, mate.”
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Following this experience, he submitted multiple complaints to Bunnings through the Ajust platform, a service that uses artificial intelligence to help customers make complaints to businesses, asking them to look into this issue.
He also made follow-up queries himself and eventually heard back from the company’s head of customer experience who told him they had followed up with the Eltham store.
As a result of his inquiries, the store contacted the local police and ask they do regular patrols of the carpark to provide a deterrent for customers who should not be using the accessible parking spots.
The store also requested the line marking be repainted to be made clearer and that a review was underway of the signage to ensure it was as clear as possible.
“It is disappointing that there are some customers who do not respect the provision of disabled spaces for use by those who genuinely need them,” the response stated.
“Hopefully the measures (we have) put in place will resolve this in future.”
In a statement to news.com.au, Bunnings director of stores Rod Caust said accessibility at the chain’s stores was very important and, where possible, staff were encouraged to support customers when accessible car spaces were misused. This includes the use of PA system announcements.
“We apologise that we missed the mark on this occasion,” Mr Caust said.
“At our Eltham store, we’ve improved the signage and line marking of identifying accessible car parks and requested more frequent local police patrols to deter the misuse of these bays.
“We continue to work closely with our team to ensure these concerns are managed quickly and appropriately.
“We ask that our customers are respectful of their local community and ensure these spaces reserved for people with a disability or mobility restrictions.”
Bunnings is far from the only business experiencing this issue with customers wrongly parking in the accessible parking bays.
Paul says he has also experienced an ongoing issue with the misuse of disabled parking spaces at Woolworths in Greensborough, having witnesses several vehicles parked without valid permits.
He again submitted a complaint via the Ajust platform requesting better signage, for council officers and police attend the car park regularly and issue fines and for Woolworths staff to get more involved with checking and managing the issue.
In his complaint, he attached multiple photos of the offenders’ cars.
After sending multiple complaints without a response, Paul called the Woolworths customer service line and was told his ticket had been closed off.
He then received an email from the supermarket chain stating that three parking bays were “clearly marked” as disabled spots in accordance to the law.
“Woolworths cannot issue fines or have staff out to monitor parking spaces, we have no control in whether police or council can monitor the space,” the email read.
“I appreciate the time you have taken to contact us and please be assured that I will forward your feedback through to the relevant department for their awareness.”
Paul responded with a request for more action to be taken and was advised that Woolworths would pass on his complaints to the regional manager.
A Woolworths spokesperson told news.com.au that it is “incredibly” disappointing to hear of cases where people have abused the dedicated mobility parking space system.
“In the carparks we own, we provide dedicated and clearly marked mobility spaces for customers who need them. At other stores, local councils, landlords or shopping centre owners are responsible for parking arrangements,” the spokesperson said.
“We certainly expect customers who don’t have a permit to leave the spaces free for those who do - and who rely on them.
“Only police or local council officers are able to issue fines as a deterrent, but not on private property.
“Where our team members have asked someone to move from a dedicated space, they have sometimes been the subject of abuse and threatening behaviour.”
Alison Barrett, Principal with Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, told news.com.au that, while businesses themselves cannot imposed fines on drivers who misuse disabled parking spaces, they do remain responsible for ensuring they are properly managed.
“Clear signage, regular monitoring, and prompt reporting of violations are practical steps that businesses should take,” Ms Barrett said.
“Neglecting these responsibilities can lead to complaints of indirect discrimination, as failing to maintain accessibility effectively denies equal access to those who need it most.”
These are just two examples that speak to a much wider problem impacting businesses all over Australia.
In fact, there is a whole Facebook page dedicated to calling out people who wrongly used accessible parking spots.
The Australian Disability Parking Wall of Shame Facebook page, which has more than 15,000 members, is full photos of non-permit holders taking up these spaces at retailers across the country.
McDonald’s, BP, Coles, KFC, 7/11, Westfield shopping centres, BWS, Aldi, and Harvey Norman are just some of the countless businesses that have had their car parks featured in these photos.
Paul said that, at this point, it seems like there is nobody who is ultimately responsible for ensuring these parking spots are used correctly.
“They’re just doing what they have to do legally. All they have to do is have some spaces marked and done. And then they just turn a blind eye, unfortunately,” he said.
Speaking to news.com.au, Ajust founder Tom Kaldor said the organisation helped Paul put together various complaints and requests for action to send to businesses.
“We have seen different responses from companies with some responding better than others and giving Paul the time of day,” Mr Kaldor said.
“But we still think businesses as a whole aren’t doing enough and can do better.”
Mr Kaldor said it shouldn’t be on Paul to “fight for a fair go” and there are things businesses could do to ensure the spots are used correctly, such as putting up clearer signs, rotating staff to monitor the spots and working with councils to enforce the rules.
“Businesses are missing an opportunity here. It’s everyday unfairness like this that chips away at our trust and confidence in big businesses. And consumers feel they’re powerless to do anything about it,” he said.
